Candied Roses
by Fyliwion
Summary: She fell in love with two things: magic and the stage. He was the one who taught her both. A Toichi and Yukiko fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** In the Beginning**  
Author:** Fyliwion**  
Fandom:** Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou**  
Pairing:** Toichi/Yukiko**  
Theme Set**: #4**  
Theme: #1** Ladykiller**  
Disclaimer:** Not mine--Definitely Not mine or DC and MK would probably be in LaLa instead of Shonen Sunday ^_^;;

**Author Note**: I won't call it an AU because… well ya never know XD It's not a usual pairing, but I've been wanting to try it for a while (I'm actually very fond it secretly). Done as prompt for a possible challenge on "non-cannon" pairings on lj. The community is dead though so I don't know if I'll continue it… I had this written; however, and figured it was time to post ^_^

* * *

She was young when she first heard of the rising star Kuroba Toichi, master of magic and mystery. He had just graduated High School, and she was entering middle school.

She pleaded and begged with her parents non-stop to go see the handsome and magical young man who had already won the hearts of so many in Japan and was starting to woo the rest of the world. So it was that Fumiyo Yukiko got tickets to see his performance in Tokyo when he returned home from his world tour.

It was love at first sight.

She'd already done some in the theatre, and dabbled in what would be known as her first rise to fame, but by no means had she really stepped into the limelight. Watching Kuroba-sama changed everything. Every yell of delight, or gasp as flames were thrown up in the air… no matter what trick it always had her holding her breath until she saw another one that proved even more spectacular.

And at the end when a dove appeared on her should holding a single rose that was dropped into her hand, well she was won over as much as any woman could be.

Of course then there was the fact that Yukiko wasn't quite like any other woman.

So she found herself fighting her way at the stage door to catch a glimpse of the handsome young man and got a wink from him in return.

It wasn't until High School that that girl saw Kuroba Toichi a second time.

The magician had gone on another world tour, and meanwhile Yukiko had grown to have a name for herself. Rising to various television shows and even a movie, the young girl had finally snagged herself a leading role in a popular drama set her name in stone.

And thus it was that a few years after her first meeting, Kuroba Toichi came back to stay in Japan and this time she went to his show as Fumiyo Yukiko.

The show had all of the flash and surprises she saw before, but every trick was different then one she'd seen prior. Better and even more mesmerizing the actress felt even more amazed at how she had been trained to _see_ the tricks, but for the life of her could only see things appear and disappear as if the man truly was… well.. Magical.

If possible it was then she fell completely and absolutely in love with him.

So Yukiko decided that the next night she would meet the famous magician the only way she knew how (because unlike most actresses who would've simply invited another worker for say tea or lunch such an idea never actually went through the young woman's head.)

Yukiko put on a disguise and snuck in back stage. No one questioned a young woman claiming to be one of the assistants, and who for all purposes seemed to have everything down tack. She'd seen another one of the assiants who she knew she could pass easily as, and changing her hair and clothing to match the ladies made it no hard trial for her at all. She slid backstage and snuck towards his dressing room never considered what she actually wanted when she got there.

Another change of outfits made it easy to be a stage hand (although she hated the role the last thing she wanted to do was actually _run_ into the assistant she dressed herself as.) She figured she could change back just before actually meeting Kuroba Toichi.

That was if she actually got to meet him.

"Hey you! I need you to drop this note to light booth- Kuroba-sama needs the main cue changed!" A young man stuffed a note in her hand as she started to open her mouth and he frowned, "And be quick about it-- ten minutes to places!!" the last part rang through the back stage as she scowled.

"Yessir…" she muttered to herself. Looking around she let out a sigh, at least she'd been to this theatre before and had a fairly good idea where the booth was- Of course even given that fact it took her until the very last minute to get the cues delievered-- and after that they sent her on _another _errand to give a note to the house manager, who sent her running to the stage manager, who eneded up having her assist with the props that kept getting tossed back stage.

By the time the show was over Yukiko was sweaty, tired, and was ready to call the whole thing off. At that point she didn't even want to see Kuroba Toichi-- at least not in the mess she was in. Chances were he wouldn't even believe her if she said she _was _Fumiyo Yukiko.

So it was that a very tired and very frustrated young actress who was sneaking back out when she ran head long into the irritable Stage Manager who dropped half a dozen parcels in her hands and said, "Take these things to Kuroba-sama will you… Damn we get more and more every night… I swear at this rate I'll have to get a second crew to just collect flowers-- Well what are you standing around for? Go on before he leaves for the night!" She barely had time to give a nod before she was walking half blind towards Kuroba-sama's dressing room (that she had found, but hadn't dared enter into earlier).

She decided half way down the hall she'd just get in and out, try not to let him see her, and maybe if she was lucky he wouldn't even be there. Of course it would've been an excellent idea except she realized as she got to the door the SM had given her enough packages to make it thoroughly impossible to actually open the door , so she was left trying to juggle half a dozen gifts, a couple flowers, and use a free elbow to try to turn the door handle.

And of course it opened inward just as she almost had it, which had her flying inside and managing to have eveyrthing fly out of her hands.

She reached in the air for the glass vase and a couple of the packages managing to grab them before they fell to the ground, and while she expected to hear other things go "smash" she was shocked to find only hear a soft flutter of papers to the floor.

She looked up from her spectacular landing to see laughing blue eyes looking down at her with two arms holding the rest of the items she hadn't been able to catch intime. She started to open her mouth but was unable to find any words.

"Are you alright?" His face was completely serious, but she saw his mouth twitch just slightly and his eyes were still dancing as they met hers.

She nodded and tried to brush herself off as she set the items down next to her. She tried to keep her face straight but finally she let off a little laugh, "Well people do say I know how to make an enterance-" she told him as her hand reached for her hair in a nervous gesture.

"That you do--" there was that twitch again, she felt her cheeks redden against her will as his gaze lingered on her. "So--" he looked down at the one package, "I can't imagine you're… lets see this one reads Hamasaki Osamu… but I must say you don't look much like an Osamu-san." His smile widened a bit more.

Her blush deepened, "Ah no… the SM had me ah… send those to you. Sorry-" she found herself looking away still burning, "I was just suppose to drop them in- I didn't know you'd be in here."

His twitch turned into a far more crooked smile, and somehow Yukiko couldn't imagine it was a good thing.

"What?" she said finally when he looked like he finally might just give into the laughter. That was it… she didn't appreciate being bossed around all evening by a pushy SM, and now her favorite performer was about to _laugh_ at her. Well that was just fine. She was tired, sweaty, and had had enough. She was about to give him a piece of her mind when a hand cupped her chin and she found smiling blue eyes looking at her.

"Ah Fumiyo-sama you're just as splendid in person as you are on the screen!" She felt him catch her hand and he moved to brush a feather light kiss upon her knuckle. Goosebumps ran up her skin, and there went those damnable cheeks of her again.

"You _recognized _me?!?"

"How couldn't I recognize as lovely a lady as you? Why I remember when you came to my show… oh lets see… I was just starting off then, barely passable as a good performer and even a worse magician…" he looked thoughtful.

She shook her head fiercely, "You're a fantastic magician, and even then you were simply amazing. I went on with my career because I wanted to reach the height of you--oh not magic really but the way you can slip into a persona…" she sat down at the dressing table and let out a long sigh. Her reflection sighed back and she scowled at it as she pulled off the hat, and tried to straighten her curls.

Behind her Toichi let out another laugh, "Oh you did quite an excellent job. Makisoto-san should have recognized you immediately, but he seemed to put you to more work than some of the people I see everyday. I thought I saw you earlier, but I couldn't be completely sure-- you were in yesterday's audience weren't you?"

"Yes…" she let out another sigh, "But Toichi-sama they say your disguises can fool even the best! I suppose I can act well enough and I know I'm getting better with this "second skin," but still if you saw through that--"

The magician sat across from her on a ledge and grinned down, "Tsk tsk Fumiyo-san-" his eyes were twinkling, "Now do you really think I would pay that much attention to just anyone? I remember that young girl looking up with a glow that was easily recognizable. Talk like that and I'll start to wonder… but do you really think its that easy to sneak in back stage of a famous actor little miss?"

"….It wasn't that hard…"

"You don't think my SM isn't on guard for fans who try to sneak in back stage?" A gentle blush fell over her cheeks, "I would be swamped the minute I got off stage, and they don't do so shabby themselves."

"Maybe he knew and that's why he gave me so much work…" she muttered half to herself.

"No… He probably would have had you thrown out by one of the other workers… that or done a far more demeaning job. If anything I'd say he might have actually liked you-" he grinned fondly at the young woman who was still pouting.

"Yes well… I wasn't suppose to meet you like _this." _She knew she was blushing again but she couldn't help it as she dusted off her work clothes for the umpteenth time.

The magician grinned, "Oh? Then how _was_ I suppose to meet you? You do realize an invite to tea would have been satisfactory?" A mischievous look crossed his face as he winked at the lady.

She tapped her nails impatiently and made a face at the man, "But so bo-ring!" She smiled up at him with her best star smile, "Wouldn't want you to think I'm just another boring diva now would I Magician-sama?"

He shook his head and stretched almost cat like, "Well it seemed to work… however given that I've had a long show and even longer day I must beg forgiveness my lady but I am absolutely famished…" she stood immediately and he could easily see she was about to apologize profusely before he held up a hand, "Though I would ask… would you like to accompany? Perhaps for a bite to eat? You must be pretty hungry yourself… and well after all the work you did the least I can do is have you for dinner."

"Oh I couldn't--"

"But I insist! Company would be nice anyway… would you really turn me down?"

She pretended to debate for a moment, and let out a long drawn out sigh, "Well I suppose I could manage a little more time…"

He held out his arm, "Then allow me Fumiyo-san--"

"All right you- OH WAIT!" She looked around irritably, "I don't suppose there's somewhere in here I could change first?"

Toichi's laugh warmed the whole room.

* * *

It was several hours later over warm drinks and what proved to be a delightful meal that he leaned across the table conspiratorially at the young actress, "Well what do you say? I could teach you every kind of disguise you could ever want. Men and women both, I could assure that no one-- except perhaps myself-- would ever be able to tell the difference. Wigs, make up, prosthetics would be the basics of course… but how to walk, talk, and read people so you could take on their persona like a second skin… or isn't that what you wanted Yukiko-chan?"

A few short hours and they had all but dropped the honorifics-- or at least gotten down to as small of one they could without threatening to be rude. If possible Yukiko had become even more smitten with the magician, although she would never let onto it. After all the man was quite a few years older than her, and well it was a well known fact that he was a lady-killer… perhaps only rivaled by the antics of the rising Kaitou 1412.

But it didn't change her eager reply of "YES!" to his offer.

And his laughing eyes at the young actress' enthusiasm.

* * *

It wasn't easy. She knew it wouldn't be, but then even as acting came easily to her Yukiko had put just as much work into it to make it that much better. This was the first time however that the work was both physically and mentally exhausting.

She would run over accents in her mind, speech patterns, and found herself practicing English in her past time. After awhile as her skills grew better Toichi would test her by setting up a time and place, and she'd put her skills to work to try to trick him.

He got her every time.

She didn't catch him off guard for over a year, and even then she might not have noticed except his eyes met hers briefly--

And she could always tell his laughing eyes.

She walked towards his table and sat down across from him as he looked steadily into his paper ignoring her. She leaned over across the table and yanked the paper down with a "Gotchya!"

"Hello to you too Yuki-chan-" he said with a grin. "And who are you today?"

"Oh don't you pull that on me mister-smarty-pants! You're just mad I saw through your disguise…."

He waved his hand at her, "Maa Maa I was in a rush anyway!"

She sat back and grinned, "You owe me lunch _and_ dinner since I finally got you… and I wouldn't say no to a good cup of tea too."

"Aren't we pushy!" But she could see that he was laughing at her behind that mask of his. "And all I ever ask for is maybe a dessert now and then! Oh the ways of women…" he shook his head as her lip began to push out into its signature pout. "Fine! You win… alright… dinner and lunch this time-- not that I don't normally pay anyway…" he added with a smirk.

"Why you! I pay too!"

"Of course you do love… of course you do…"

* * *

It paid sometimes to be a famous actor and have your teacher just as famous of a performer. Parties often became far more fun… especially when he kept pulling dove out of sleeves and under your skirts, and you were allowed to spend the whole night flirting shamelessly as a type of game between the two.

And of course then there was the champagne.

Someone let the young actress have a few glasses of the bubbly, after all it was a private party and it was _Fumiyo Yukiko_. So it wasn't until _after_ several glasses that Kuroba Toichi actually showed up and saw the young actress all ready to plop into the next charming young man's lap that the magician went in to the rescue.

"Yuki!" He called and she swerved around… or started to before she almost fell over (glass still in hand), and only a very swift move on his part saved her from falling over completely.

"Toi-pon?" She said giggling as she smiled up at him, and held up the glass for him, "Sip?"

He took the glass from her with a disapproving smile, "Yukiko I think you've had enough."

"Nu-uh! No takey unless you have sip first!! Sip!!!" she reached for the glass trying to push it toward his lips.

"Yukiko…."

"Sippy for me?" She beamed up at him and was met with a reluctant sigh and a shake of the head. The whole response met shortly by Yukiko's trembling lips and soft eyes starting to build with tears.

Toichi was just about to reprimend her when her eyes started welling with what he suspected were tears and he let out a long dramatic sigh, "I'm going to regret this…" he muttered and downed the glass setting it on a tray that one of the servers was holding nearby. "Fine? Happy?"

"YAY! Toi-pon drank glass!!"

"….You better be thankful your drunk Yuki or I'd get you for that…"

"Mmmmm" she said as she leaned against him and snuggled into his chest.

"…Now what are you doing?" He muttered looking down at her his frown still set. Yukiko as tipsy as she was could tell that his normally warm eyes held more worry than laughter and still some of that disapproving look that was all over his face.

"Dun't be mad…" she said looking up at him with a frown of her own. "I only had a couple glasses o' da bubbly!" She giggled again, "s'tasty ne?"

"Very tasty…" his mask was still firmly in place, but she didn't agree with that either. So with what she presumed was her seductive smile she said,

"Betchya Toi-pon's tasty too!"

A firm poke in her nose made her meep as he quickly brought his other arm around and lifted her up easily, "I think _Fumiyo-san_ it is time to go."

"Nya! You never call me Fumiyo-san" she said scowling as she snuggled against his shirt. "Yourmad…" She sniffled into him.

He sighed carrying her through the crowd as inconspicuously as he could-- which given who he was carrying was about like trying to carry out a howler monkey. But then it helped he had some practice on sneaking in and out of locations, and somehow he managed to get out without too many people noticing.

"Where we going?" she asked still looking up with those same bright eyes of hers, wide and curious and she still.

"Taking you home-" he said shaking his head with a sigh. "Anymore of that bubbly and who knows what would have happened… wasn't Kudo going with you tonight?" He didn't exactly like the guy but the man had a decent head on his shoulders, even if he did have contrasting tastes in many things.

"Case came up" she said with a long sigh. "Had to help police… couldn't make it so went without" she grinned up at the magician, "More fun."

"Obviously" he said shaking his head feeling irrational anger as he hailed a cab and set the girl in before climbing in next to her, "Two Sixty two… twenty fourth street" he told the cab driver as he helped buckle her in.

"Yessir…"

He watched her silently as she leaned on one hand to watch the passing lights with an oblivious smile on her lips. It was easy to see why she was regarded as one of the loveliest actresses out there, and the magician began to feel a little uneasy.

They were almost outside the apartment when he watched her eyes widen considerably and she turned back to him, "Wah… wait… Toi-po- Toichi… I… I can't go home!" She was shaking her head vehemently and he could tell in the way she sat she was going to be stubborn.

"Why not?" he asked propped up on the other side, propped up by his elbows and watching her with a frown.

"'Cause… 'Cause that would be bad!" she said with a set frown on her lips. "Daddy and Mommy are home… and… I would be in trouble…" tears welled up in her eyes, "I didn't _mean_ to have so much bubbly!"

He chuckled softly and patted her head, "Yukiko I'll explain to them.. I'm sure you'll--"

"N-Noo! They won't understand.. Please.. Please don't make me!!" He could tell in the way her lip was trembling and eyes opened as wide as they were she was about to start crying anytime.

His frown set and he shook his head, "Yuki where else can I take you? I'm not leaving you at a hotel… and if I don't bring you back your parents will worry even more…"

"_Please!" _

Oh how he hated hystarics.

"Fine… 298 Natsuki -" He informed the taxi driver with a sigh.

"If you say so sir…"

And so a good twenty minutes later he found himself up in his flat with Yukiko grinning at him from his couch as he held onto the phone talking to her parents as he switched between the two voices.

"Ya Dad I'm fine! We just decided to stay out a little later and Fumiko offered to let me stay the night! I'm almost out of high school anyway, I just wanted to call and give you a warning… no I'll be fine! Promise!! Yah!" He chattered into the phone, "Yes.. Yes love you too… yes here Fumiko…."

He moved the phone away and shook his head with a chagrin smile as he changed voices to a much softer spoken female, "Yessir I'll watch out for her. Yeah I know sir don't worry… Of course not! Thank you sir! Night!" and hung up the phone before turning to the girl with his hands firmly planted on his hips, "You, miss, are completely incorrigible."

She grinned and stood up from the cough walking over to look at him with a defiant look, "You're not much better mister I-change-voice-at-will!"

He sighed and set a hand on her shoulder as she stood across from him, "I think we should put you to bed lady."

She took a step closer towards him and he was surprised as her soft blue eyes looked up with a strange brightness, "_Your _bed?" Her tone almost matching his when he had some special trick up his sleeve.

He laughed a little, "Yes with me sleeping on the couch" he told her grinning.

"Don't have to-" she said a little softer as she reached out a hand to touch the collar of his shirt.

He found that his heart was pounding against his will, and for some bizarre movement he was trapped there by the tipsy actress and her soft blue eyes.

"Yuki-" Two arms slipped around his neck, and he was about to pull away and tuck her into bed without another question when she went to her tiptoes and gently leaned in to kiss him.

It wasn't new to either of them. The actress had her flings, and at the moment she had _something_ going on with the author and sometimes detective Kudo Yuusaku. Exactly what, neither Yukiko or Yuusaku were really sure of-- but the two had some sort of 'thing.'

Toichi on the other hand was joked to have a lady in every port, which wasn't exactly accurate. It was true he bounced around quite a bit, and it had been a long while since there had really been anyone that serious. Lately there had been one… Miyoki Shumi was a young woman he'd been seeing off and on for a while now- sweet tempered girl that wasn't like his normal starlets he had a tendency to date.

Of course none of those were _quite_ Fumiyo Yukiko.

His first thought had been to pull away. The actress was so _young_- a six years or so difference, which he supposed wasn't that terrible… but she was just graduating High School and had he gone to college he would've been a good several years out.

There were other things as well… but…

Of course what made sense and what happened didn't always mix, and even while telling himself he shouldn't his arms were wrapping around her to pull her closer, and his head tilted down to deepen the kiss.

She tasted like champagne and sugar and it he could already tell it was highly addictive.

When they finally parted he ran a hand down her cheek and found that both she and him were smiling like a matching pair of idiots, "Yup" she said with a mischievous look, "Toi-pon is definitely tasty."

"Yukiko" he started but his heart wasn't really in it.

She shut him up with a second kiss.

* * *

**A/N:** _I might write more… someday… doubtful because I started to continue it but well… frankly it just wasn't coming out. To answer probably some questions: We know that Yukiko was star of her high school with Eri-- and while it doesn't really hint she was working as the actress starlet until after-- well she has Shinichi when she's twenty… you graduate when your 18... So I took liberties. We also don't actually know how old Toichi's suppose to be (From what I've gathered), and a friend raised the question of him being a few to several years older. I went with this thought and this is what spawned. You can take it as an AU if you wish, but I did set it pre her and Yuusaku actually together and Shumi is suppose to be Kaito's mum. As for Sharon Vineyard-- Well…I have an Omake for that ^_^ Make what deductions you want to on what happens from here… _


	2. What Sharon Saw

**Omake: **

It was Sharon who noticed first, but then it was hard to hide anything from the other actress that Toichi had taken under the wing. She and Yukiko were quite close anyway having so much in common and the pair always working together to try to trick up their mentor.

The American actress was only a few years older than the younger woman, but in some ways she was years away. More serious she treated everything they learned as another tool and honed her skills with a type of sharpness that Yukiko never had.

Yukiko was all sugar and honey, but Sharon had a way of being sweet on the outside but keeping a tight lock on what lay just below the surface.

It made her sharp in reading others though, and it didn't take long before the second student walked into his dressing room to see the other girl against a wall, hands on the magicians tie, and the magician pinning there with his mouth against hers.

She swore herself to secrecy as the two opened there eyes to see the smirking woman, and she simply brushed off their excuses. It had been easy for her to see this would probably happen, after all the other actress had an infectious personality to go with her sweet face.

In her own way Sharon really did love them both. She couldn't really bring herself to resent Yukiko for her happiness, after all the girl was in everyway the reckless little sister, while Toichi… well… Toichi was Toichi--but then Sharon supposed she'd never really had a chance.

Of course it wouldn't be until a good ten years that Toichi realized what how much he lost by that one moment, and twice as long when Yukiko found that out for herself.

It was only a short time later that the American woman informed the magician and actress that she'd accepted a role for a new Broadway show, and would be returning to the states for its run.

They were all three were well trained in the art of poker faces, but then she'd always held that final ace up her sleeve. One even KID couldn't steal.


End file.
